2022/12/06
Keio University School of Medicine
Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Developmental Disability Center
National Institute for Physiological Sciences
A research group led by Professor Kazunori Nakajima of the Department of Anatomy, Keio University School of Medicine, and Section Chief Hidenori Tabata of the Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Developmental Disability Center (who was a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Anatomy, Keio University School of Medicine, when the research began), in collaboration with Director Junichi Nabekura and others at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences, has used mice to clarify how astrocytes, a major cell type in the brain, migrate and settle into their designated positions within the fetal and neonatal brain.
The mammalian brain contains not only neurons but also an even greater number of glial cells that support neuronal activity. Among these, astrocytes are a major type of glial cell and play a crucial role in processes such as the formation of neural networks during development. However, little was known about how astrocytes develop and become widely distributed throughout the brain. This study has revealed that astrocyte precursor cells, which originate in the deep regions of the brain, reach neuronal areas and achieve a uniform distribution by selectively using two modes of migration: nearly random movement and movement guided by blood vessels. The research also identified the molecular mechanisms that support this process. Disruption of this astrocyte developmental mechanism could potentially inhibit the formation of neural networks. In recent years, the possibility that developmental stage disorders underlie various neuropsychiatric diseases has gained attention, and this study is expected to advance a new understanding of the pathophysiology of these conditions.
The results of this research were published in the online edition of Nature Communications on November 2, 2022 (UK time), and were also selected for the Editors' Highlights as a particularly important paper.
For the full press release, please see below.